A New Shade of Red
by Red S
Summary: ALTERNATE UNIVERSE FIC Willow Rosenberg's life goes through dramatic change. ALTERNATE UNIVERSE FIC
1. The Beginning

It was approaching nightfall in the town of Sunnydale, California. The formerly light sky darkened slowly but surely from light blue to midnight blue to almost black. The air whistled and blew quietly, blowing leaves on the ground and rustling trees. The abandoned streets and sidewalks also danced with shadows, giving a spooky effect. Then again, the abandon wasnt quite surprising, being as it was Friday. Friday was free cover at the town's only club, The Bronze.   
  
Willow Rosenberg, however, wasn't present at the club. She was still at her lonely house, up in her room, staring at her reflection in the full-sized mirror as she bit her lip. The shy redhead had decided to cut loose and dress sexy, but now she wasn't so sure. Normally, Willow hid her slim figure under baggy, fluffy shirts, and loose overalls or other pants. But not tonight.  
  
-I look like a complete slut.- Thought the redhead unhappily. -Like trailor trash or, or....a prostitute! Yeah, a prostitute! I should find a corner on a street, I look so slutty!- Her thoughts werent exactly making her feel better or happier, but she couldnt help it. Her parents had always kept her on a short leash, and they never gave her room to express herself or give herself more confidence.  
  
As that fact crossed her mind, she gave a rare scowl and decided right there she would show her parents that she was a sexy young women! But, her parents were off on some business trip or other. The beginning Wiccan decided she would just have to start with her friends. This in mind, she looked once more at herself.  
  
She wore a dark red shirt that had 2 tiny little straps on each shoulder that barely held her shirt in place, and a low curve that showed off the top of her smallish cleavage. The shirt was also tight, and ended above her bellybutton. The top of her mini black leather skirt was four inches under her bellybutton, which left a fairly large expanse of pale skin from shirt to skirt. The bottom of the tight, clinging skirt was at midthigh, and the sides of the skirt were laced.  
  
On her feet she wore heeled black leather boots that rode up to just above her knees. On her wrist and fingers (both sides) she had 3-inch thick black leather wristbands that had 5 attached silver chains with chunky rings on each end to fit on each of her fingers. Willow had even added make-up using her magick skills. On her eyelids she had thick grey eyeshadow, and her emerald colored eyes were lined in black eyeliner. She also had brown-tinted lipgloss that somehow went with her other makeup, and she had on no blush nor foundation.  
  
The redhead threw one more determined glance into the mirror, before she caste a glamour on herself so it would not show when she blushed. Willow was very aware she looked quite like her vampiric counterpart from the other dimention, but she couldnt bring herself about to care. 


	2. Confrontation

Her casual enterance to the Bronze borderlined on explosive. The first person to take specific notice to her was Percy. The star basketball player took a single glance at her, and shot out the door. Even though Willow was a genuinely nice person, she had to snicker at his behavior.  
  
Thats how the blonde-haired Slayer first saw her best friend. Pale skinned, dressed unnormally bold, and with a snicker on her face. She gasped as soon as the realization hit her, and she just stared. Thats how Xander found her a few moments later. With her mouth hanging low, and her eyes widened.  
  
The brunette-haired boy had to wonder what had caused the Slayer to so thoroughly freak, so he followed her gaze. The sight he saw hit him like a kick in the guts. It was Willow, looking every inch a vampire. He soon joined Buffy in her almost-comical expression.  
  
A quick sweep of the Bronze with her emerald eyes, and the young woman located her two best friends. Willow held back a snicker as she saw the looks they were giving her. She was just full of mirth tonight, but she figured her courage would drain after talking to the incredulous pair.  
  
The minute Xander had gotten his breathe back, he took off for the enterance, not wanting to deal with who he thought was vampire Willow. He didnt think he could take mourning his best friend again, so he had to leave. Willow saw Xander leave, but ignored him, and started towards Buffy.  
  
Buffy snapped her jaws shut, and her eyes closed. After taking a deep breath, she reopened her eyes. Willow was standing right in front of her. The slayer casually slid a hand in a back pocket of her coat, and whipped out a cross. She then proceeded to put it in Willow's face.  
  
The redhead's eyes widened as a cross was shoved in her face. The blonde slayer knew it was a mistake almost immediately, because for one, Willow looked hurt. And for another thing, the cross did not affect her. Willow grabbed the cross, and threw it to the ground.  
  
The wiccan gave the slayer a dark look, turned on her heel and started walking.  
  
"Will, wait!"  
  
Buffy's tone was slightly panicked, so Willow stopped but did not turn. The blonde took this as a good sign, and sighed with relief. This was the wrong thing to do, as the redhead whirled around, eyes flaming. But Buffy didnt notice the obvious anger that Willow was directing at her.  
  
"This is not you, Wills! I think you're possessed, so come with me to Giles."  
  
Upon hearing this, the redhead whirled on the heel of her boot, and her emerald-coloured eyes darkened to a shade of forest green, signaling how angry she was. The slayer took an unconscious step back as her best friend's eyes changed to display her anger. Willow chuckled coldly at Buffy's obvious backwards movement.  
  
Buffy gaped at the girl she thought was her best friend in the world, and a tear escaped her eye. The blonde couldnt understand what was happening.  
  
When Willow took in the tear that had squeezed from Buffy's eye, her anger drained away from her, and her eyes almost immediately returned to their normal shade of green.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Those words of apologies uttered, Willow turned and fled from The Bronze and Buffy. 


	3. Escape

A hot spray of tears was running down from Willow's emerald eyes, and obscuring her view. Unable to see anything whatsoever in her haste to escape, she ran straight into a rock-solid body. The redhead was knocked to a temporary halt, and whispered quick words of apology to the brunette woman she had slammed into. With the apology said, she continued to hurry, quickly, on her way to the door. Unbeknownst to her, she had attracted a small group of vampires to herself. But she was too busy leaning against an alley wall, sobbing her heart out.  
  
"Hmm, everything seems to get easier every single night. Isn't delivery convenient?"  
  
The voice of the lead vampire sliced through the silence (well, the silence besides the sound of crying). The other two vampires tittered at their leader's rather weak joke. Willow had given a slight jerk at the words, but managed to keep herself still after that. Well, still besides the small movement her right arm was making towards her boot, and the hidden cross. Before she could attempt to save herself, somebody else did it for her.  
  
"Yunno, I think you may be onto something, Blondie. Delivery -is- convenient."  
  
This time, the voice was young and feminine, yet hard and cold at the same time. To be exact, it was the voice of the same brunette Willow had run into inside the club. The trio of vampires snickered, and the leader (the blonde she had spoken to) rose an eyebrow at the woman. He was obviously incredulous that a girl as young as her might challenge him. Dumbass.  
  
"Really now? But you see, chicky, I think I just got a two for one deal on the set of you. Great dinner for me and mine, but sad for you."  
  
The woman was already done with the exchange of insults, and running straight at him. He, in turn, vamped out and dashed at her. They met in the middle, and began to fight. She had the first blow, a high kick aimed directly at his head. The blow hit, and sent him flying back, but he quickly recovered with a right hook to her face. This seemed to anger her, and she responded with a combination kick-punch. That move sent him flying into an alley wall, with his head cracking against the building. He was temporarily stunned, but the girl had enough time to move up and stake him directly in the heart.  
  
He burst into dust and ash, instantly flying and spreading into the soft wind. His two minions had the common sense to take off running. The girl broke a nearby crate in a swift motion, and threw the resulting piece of sharpened wood at the one on the left's back. The makeshift stake slammed home, and sent the second vampire into dust like the first. The third vampire had gotten away. The woman turned to Willow who had watched the entire exchange in complete silence, and gave her a strong smile.   
  
"Those...muggers...aw, screw it. They were vampires, and dont even mouth off to me honey. You can't ignore hard facts, you saw them turn to whatever they turn to. I'm Faith." 


	4. Conversation

Willow was almost, quite literally, frozen in complete shock, with her mouth hanging open, and her emerald eyes wide and disbelieving. She was also experiencing the distinct sensation of ice crawling slowly up her spine, and her heart chilling, for she realized what Faith had to be. A Slayer. And for a new calling to be put in act, the current Slayer had to have met her match in death.  
  
"Oh god, Buffy."  
  
The tone of voice she used was weak and rasping, and with those words uttered, Willow felt even more hot tears streaming slowly descending her pale-skinned face. Her own...her own actions had somehow gotten one of her bestest friends in the world killed. The worst part of this was that she knew it was her fault, she just knew it.  
  
Faith, for her part, duly noted the beautiful young redhead's reaction to what she herself thought was fairly mild. Though the girl -had- (or so Faith thought) just been introduced quite rudely to the existance of vampires. Even then, who was this Buffy? Somebody the girl she saved reached out to when she was troubled? Or could Buffy be something more to the redhead? Despite her pure intentions, a slight flood of jealousy rushed through her.  
  
Even though the word was currently crumbling in at her from all possible sides, Willow was still very thankful to this brunette. After all, she would currently be dead without the intervention of this stranger. As she thought about it, and began to study Faith, the thought came to her mind that the other girl looked familiar.   
  
Then, as sudden as a thunderbolt striking the Earth, another thought occured to the articulate redheaded girl. Faith had fought with vigor, and seemed to know exactly what she was doing. So unless she had been into a form of karate or streetfighting during what Willow knew as the Pre-Calling, Faith must have been a Slayer for awhile. And Willow had just seen Buffy.  
  
"Faith, how long exactly have you been slaying all these vampires, demons, and forces of darkness?"  
  
Willow had studied what it meant to be a Slayer, especially with being a best friend to the mythical girl, so she knew the particular saying quite well. 'One girl, meant to slay the vampires, demons, and forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.' It was practically ingrained into her head.  
  
The brunette Slayer gave a slight, but visible jump at the way too familiar words. The redhead looked far to innocent to be involved in the dark world of badness. Then again, the vampires often turned females that looked innocent, because it helped them lure the less intelligent people to their deaths. Despite her doubts, she answered.  
  
"Just a little over a year, Red. Mind giving me the reason you asked?"  
  
Willow never knew she could be as relieved as she suddenly was at the brunette Slayer's words. Buffy was alright, she had to be. It was an impossibilty that Buffy had died to activate Faith, Faith had been a Slayer for too long. It was in a sudden rush that the memory of Kendra came to the redhead, and she murmured the deceased Slayer's name.  
  
The brown-eyed woman from Boston heard Willow say Kendra's name softly, and it made her suddenly still. This girl she saved, how did she know about Kendra? Faith herself had never known the girl, but she -did- know that it was Kendra that activated her. Then, with sudden clarity, the name Willow said earlier came back to her. Buffy. Buffy Summers was the well-known Slayer centered in Sunnydale. The redhead's reaction was suddenly explained to her. Faith understood now.  
  
"Geez, Red, I didn't mean to give you a scare. I'm assuming you're one of the infamous B's friends?"  
  
Before Willow could possibly puzzle over this new development, Faith did a sudden disappearing act, and Buffy came barreling into the deserted alley.  
  
"Willow!" 


	5. Conflict

Willow took several deep breaths to steady herself as she took in the sight of a very concerned-looking blonde Slayer. A thought nagged at the back of her head as to why Faith had taken off so swiftly. Wouldn't the brunette want to meet her fellow Slayer? In a few seconds, Buffy's voice cut through the silence and gave Willow the answer she sought.  
  
"Thank whatever gods kept you here safe! Will, I just got contacted by Giles. The Slayer that came after Kendra, Faith, went rogue. I thought...I thought she had gotten you!"  
  
The redhead blinked a few times, processing the new information. Well, that was fast. She met another potential friend, and it turned out she was bad. But...Faith had saved her life. Surely that meant the brunette wasn't all bad, right? Willow gave a deep sigh, and knew she wouldn't get much sleep this night. With a barely noticible jerk, she realized Buffy was still speaking.  
  
"...so you would be safest staying around me for awhile. And since i'm going to the library, I guess you better come and help research. Oh, and we could stop by your house real quick so you can change out of -that-."  
  
A look of complete and utter disgust for Willow's rather...unique...outfit forced it's way onto Buffy's face. Willow, on the other hand, had a rush of anger. She had forgotten about the hijinks of the evening for a second when the blonde had reminded her she was still dressed to kill.  
  
"You know, Buff, I think i'll have to forgo that. I really feel like going back into the Bronze. I'm not feeling like researcho girl tonight. Sorry."  
  
Her tone, however, was nowhere near sorry. She had prepared herself for an evening of total non-Willowy action, and wasn't likely to give it up without a fight. Neither, however, was Buffy. The formerly-popular girl definately had a stubborn bone in her body. On the flip side, Willow had one too. It was just buried deeper. Still.....  
  
"Willow, right now I don't particularly want to listen to what -you- want."  
  
Funny how things changed when Willow wasn't so willing.  
  
"It's what's best for you. I'm scared, Will. You aren't yourself tonight."  
  
Alright, so the redhead had been able to contain her anger up until this point in time. But Willow wasn't supergirl, she couldn't just stand by and take being a pushover anymore. She had just wanted one night. One -fricking- night, to come as she wasn't. But just maybe...maybe she had finally come as she really was. The conclusion hit her like a thunderbolt, but effectively kept her from doing physical damage.  
  
"Buffy, has the thought reached you that maybe I finally -am- myself? I kind of doubt, being as you are so self-centered..."  
  
As soon as the words escaped from her lips, she regretted them...slightly. Even more regret was found when Buffy's powerful fist slammed into her face...and the world went black. 


	6. Awakening Surprises

Willow awoke slowly, very slowly, from a deep sleep. Make that a punch-induced sleep. As she opened her emerald eyes slowly, she moaned in a very quiet way. Eyes completely open, her vision was still a bit fuzzy, and her heavily aching face distracted her. She closed her eyes rather quickly with the intent to let herself drift to consciouness slower. However, it served a completely different purpose.   
  
During her awakening, she had been alone in what she deemed to be Giles' living room, on the couch, but now Xander and Buffy trickled in, and took seats on different chairs. Interest piqued, she relaxed her body as if she was still unconscious, and tuned her still-buzzing ears into their conversation. The brunette boy she had known nearly her entire life was the first to speak within her hearing range, and the blonde's higher voice soon followed after his deep, relaxing one.  
  
"I'm so glad you were there to save Willow from this Faith chick. I've got half a mind to track her down, and punch -her- for punching my Wills."  
  
His tone had been completely appreciative, no sign whatsoever of suspicion creeping in. Buffy seemed to feed off of the praise, and didn't correct his assumption that Faith had punched the redhead, when Buffy actually had.  
  
"I am too, Xand, I am too. Kinda scary to think what would have happened with me not being there to save poor Willow."  
  
By now, the redhead was steaming. In the figurative sense, not literal, though you never knew on the Hellmouth. Buffy had told Xander and probably Giles that -Faith- punched her? No, no, no. Completely unacceptable. Willow did not know this Slayer, not at all, and she also didn't know why she was rogue. But she did know that Faith had saved her life, and Faith had -not- punched her. Still she stayed on the couch, feigning sleep. Eventually, because she hadn't wanted to get up and talk to anybody, she drifted off to sleepyland.  
  
...................................................................................................................................................................................................  
  
The next morning at 4:00 (she had confirmed the time on a nearby clock) she woke up again, and sensed she was alone in the room. A grim smile set upon her face, she rose off the couch and went in search of a pen and some papers. Once the set of materials her purpose has required were acquired, she sat down on a chair at the counter, and started to write her notes. Technically, she supposed, her runaway notes. Once finished with the notes, she put each of them in a smaller envelope, and shoved the small envelopes into a single large brown envelope. This done, she set them on the counter, and left Giles' house with the intention never to come back. 


	7. Letters

Giles stumbled down his staircase tiredly while rubbing the still-evident sleep out of his eyes. The main purpose of this early trip downstairs was to check on Willow, and to make coffee. From his spot descending the stairs, he could see into the living room, and the couch where Willow was asleep. Then, he actually looked to where she had been, and the realization she was gone hit him like a punch to the guts, and fully awokened him.  
  
From that point on, he nearly flew down the stairs and to the couch, coffee forgotten. His sharp eyes merely stared at the empty space, the space she had previously occupied. Sighing, he turned and walked into his kitchen area, leaning against the counter. A brown envelope that had not been there when he went to sleep caught his eye, and he ripped it open as fast as his fingers could...well...open an envelope.  
  
Once it was open, a set of letters was in clear view. To be absolutely specific, there were six letters in the brown envelope. They each had labels on them, in different colors. Buffy's was red. Xander's was blue. Oz's was green. Ira and Sheila's was black. Giles' was purple. And last, but not least (although most surprising to Giles) was Cordelia's, written in dark silver. There was also an additional piece of paper that stated directions for distributing the letters to everybody at the same time.  
  
Immediately, his blue-eyed gaze focused on the single sheet that held the directions Willow obviously meant for him to follow, and he swore out loud. It didnt seem to him that this was a casual surprise type deal. No, this sounded obscenely serious. And the seriousness of the situation kind of flipped him out. He just wanted to rip the envelope with his name on it open, but respect for Willow's request kept him from doing so. Barely.  
  
Instead of opening the letter like he so badly did, he went about calling those who recieved a letter. All but Ira and Sheila. The instruction stated strictly that he was to mail the letter to them anonymously. Of course, he first call was to Cordelia because she was so far away. The seer promised to get to Sunnydale as fast as she could. After her, he called the rest of them, then paused on the last he needed to contact. Oz. Then, glancing at the instructions again, he saw a phone number for the stoic guitarist. Dialling it, he got Oz, who happened to be nearby. Giles explained what happened, and Oz swore to get there fast.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Around 45 minutes later (Cordelia had just arrived from L.A.), Giles had five people in his living room, including himself. In a quiet tone, after the room quieted, he explained his request for them all to gather in his living room. As he told them about the letters, the whole room got a kind of shocked look on their face. Once they all quieted again, he handed the envelopes to each of the receivents.  
  
Cordelia Chase's Letter:  
  
Dear Cordelia,   
  
You might not understand why you got a letter.  
  
I'll explain.  
  
Cordy, you were my torturer for many years.  
  
You were the one to insult me, hurt me.  
  
Thank you.  
  
My logic may be hard to come by, but here goes.  
  
You kept me from being sure of myself, kept my confidence from soaring.  
  
This may seem bad, but it is not.  
  
You saved me from becoming a bad person in your own way.  
  
Maybe you did not realize it, but it is true.  
  
I want to tell you now that I ran away.  
  
Maybe you can understand why I did this.  
  
You know its hard to live in Sunnydale.  
  
There are reasons unknown to you for why I left.  
  
They are unknown to all.  
  
I will mention Xander, so please listen to this.  
  
He loved you, I would guess he still does.  
  
When we did that...thing, it was a mistake.  
  
We always knew that, even as we did it.  
  
It was passion pent up from all our years.  
  
Forgive him, let him know he is forgiven.  
  
I want the best for both of you.  
  
The only way to get that is to stay together.  
  
Cling together, and never fall apart.  
  
Thank you Cordy, you were my private savior.  
  
God bless.  
  
-Willow Rosenburg  
  
******************************  
  
Buffy Summers' Letter:  
  
Dear Buffy,  
  
You are the only one of the bunch to receive a negative letter.  
  
From the time I met you, you were one of my best friends.  
  
But now, that's changed.   
  
I never want to see you again.  
  
Never.  
  
I hope i'm not deluding myself when I say I think I know you pretty well.  
  
Right now, I bet you are outraged.  
  
Am I right?  
  
Well, I dont care.  
  
For once in my life, I just dont care.  
  
I heard, Buffy.  
  
I heard you talk to Xander.  
  
Bet you thought I was asleep.  
  
Surprise.  
  
-Willow Rosenburg  
  
******************************  
  
Xander Harris' Letter  
  
Dear Xander,  
  
I love you Xander, love you as a friend.  
  
I'm gone now, I left, I ran away.  
  
I dont want to leave, but I must.  
  
It wasnt you, it was never you.  
  
Do not blame yourself, ever.  
  
If you must cast blame, blame Buffy.  
  
Yep, that's right.   
  
She's not a golden girl after all.  
  
She punched me, Xan, not Faith.  
  
I can honestly say the day I met you was the day my life took purpose.  
  
Without you, I would surely be dead.  
  
Dead in my heart, dead in my soul, and dead in my life.  
  
You are my brother, and will stay that way.  
  
Dont try to find me, you wont.  
  
I can only tell you never to let anyone poison your mind.  
  
Please, dont hate me. I had to leave.  
  
Dont try to understand, you wont, you cant.  
  
You have a great life now, and I will forever be happy for you.  
  
When I take my last breathe, be sure that I will be thinking of you.  
  
Only of you. Of how you saved my heart, soul, and life.  
  
Bless you Xander.  
  
-Willow Rosenburg  
  
******************************  
  
Oz Osbourne's Letter  
  
Dear Oz,  
  
You were my first true love, my first true lover.  
  
I am no longer in Sunnydale, i'm gone.  
  
You arent to blame, nobody is.  
  
Do me a favor, though, look in Kawl's Maleficarem.  
  
I still love you Oz, I always will.  
  
Have a good life, i'm sure you can.  
  
Be blessed, live.  
  
-Willow Rosenburg  
  
******************************  
  
Rupert Giles' Letter  
  
Dear Giles,   
  
I know you must be busy with the Slayer, and your research, but you get a long letter.  
  
I'm gone. I left town.   
  
Want to know why? Buffy. She drove me away, Giles. The punch I received from Faith? It wasnt. It was from Buffy.  
  
Faith had just saved my life. I dont know why, and I might never, but she did.  
  
You, and the others might not ever see me again. This, I do not know for sure.  
  
I am also not sure that you really care, but I had to write you anyway. Like Buffy, you were like my surrogate father.  
  
You were always there when my own parents werent. I dont know if you ever cared for me, because I know I was a burden.  
  
All I can hope is that there was a thread of caring in you for me.  
  
The stress was too much, and I ran away.   
  
Though it may not be right, I love you Giles, in my own way. Not intimate love, the love I have for my father-figure.   
  
-Willow Rosenburg  
  
  
  
  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Everybody, after reading their letter, was crying. Everybody, that is, except Buffy. Buffy was, instead, growing red in the face due to anger. And so, of course, she had to voice her own personal opinion. Buffy -always- had to express her opinion. It was in her nature.   
  
"This is totally bogus! Giles, say something!"  
  
Everybody, not just Giles, turned away in disgust. 


	8. Runaway

As she was walking from Giles' house, it hit Willow Rosenburg that it was official. She was a runaway. Never in all of her years had she cast a single thought towards the idea, and yet here she was. But, despite what her letters to her friends said, she was not leaving Sunnydale. Oh no. Buffy would -not- run her out of her own hometown. Instead, the redhead decided that she would make a high-tech glamour, and take a new name. Her hacking abilities would make up her student transcripts, and her new identity.  
  
Now that she was decided on how to handle her student career and identity, she had to figure out a source of income, and a place for her to stay. This subject caused her to frown, and pause momentarily in her walk. Then, the solution came to Willow, and she grinned largely. Her parents had given her a credit card for emergencies, knowing that their daughter was very responsible. Well, she thought, screw them. They abandoned me for almost my entire childhood. Yet another problem solved.  
  
But yet another problem existed that needed to be solved. Her housing until she could put all of her carefully thought out plans into motion. There was only one person she could think of that was unlikely to rat her out to the remaining members of the Scooby Gang. As it was, this was also the person she had just met in the last twenty-four hours. Faith, the Rogue Vampire Slayer. She had only just met the brunette, and yet she felt a trust towards the younger girl.  
  
And so, with this consideration embedded in her mind, she began the search for Faith. 


	9. Computer Genius Extraordinaire

Willow Rosenberg, computer genius extraordinaire. Or in the very least, -she- liked to think so. Computer skills were what she planned to use in order to find Faith. The auburn-haired young woman had her laptop, but it wasn't enough, she needed a regular computer that was hooked up to the net and everything. Having such specific needs were almost her downfall. She needed to find a computer in a location the other Scoobies weren't searching for her.  
  
The answer was so easy that it came as a slight but pleasant shock to her. Any of the computers at the school would certainly meet her needs, and it was a school day. Absolutely perfect answer. Grinning the whole time, she wrote a "doctor's" note explaining a made-up ailment that caused her to miss the beginning of school, and put a glamour over her face to make her look temporarily like somebody else.   
  
She walked to the school with no real problems at all, presented the note to the office, and was given a pass to the computer lab where she claimed her computer class was. Making her way to the room swiftly, she presented the pass with a smile and took a back seat. Not having any privacy, she was required to put another glamour up. This was was to make the screen look like she was doing the classwork.  
  
To everybody else in the room, Tamera Johnson was working on a web page about rock stars and their pets for a project. What nobody actually did see was Willow Rosenberg, computer genius extraordinaire, locating Faith Stratera with a swiftness and ability that would come as a surprise or even shock to some of the more advanced computer hackers around. Granted, she had slight magickal help, but who besides her would know?  
  
Willow raised her right hand, black nail polish gleaming under the nearly sickening fluorescent lighting. Once called on by the teacher that had replaced Jenny Calender after death, she offered up a lame excuse about her stomach being really bad. After a couple staged retches, she was released from the class. For the first time ever, she walked out of school when she was legally required to remain inside it's walls. Finally she was on her way to see Faith again.  
  
Feeling quite oddly excited, Willow took off for Ryland Motels. 


End file.
